The appeal of online courses is simple — they’re quick, low-commitment, and often free. But are they actually useful? And more importantly, are they ever going to help you get a job?
There are many types of certifications that belong — and don’t belong — on a resume. Obviously, significant qualifications like degrees or mandatory professional accreditations should be listed, but what about short courses you can take fully online?
Do online courses belong on your resume?
The short answer is: It depends.
The longer answer is, there are a few things you should consider when listing an online course on your resume, like:
- Is it relevant to the job you’re applying for?
- Does it demonstrate key skills?
- Is it from a reputable source?
- How senior are you?
We'll discuss when to list online courses on your resume — and when to leave them off — in more detail below. First, let's take a look at how to list online courses on your resume.
Listing online courses on your resume: A step by step guide
- Focus on relevant courses. If you've completed multiple online courses, choose 1-2 that are most relevant to the specific job you're applying for.
- Choose where to list them. Online courses can be listed in your education, certifications, projects, or other section — more on that below.
- List the name of the course.
- Include the name of the provider.
- Specify the date you completed the qualification.
- Include 1-3 accomplishments or key learnings in bullet points (optional).
Here it is in practice:
Examples of listing online courses in your resume
Here are some examples of the most effective ways to list online courses on a resume, as used by successful job seekers and verified by recruiters.
In your education section
List entries in this section chronologically, with the most recent qualification first. If your education section is the most relevant part of your resume (for example, if you’re a recent graduate or are changing careers), pin it at the top of your resume above your work experience.
EDUCATION & QUALIFICATIONS
ABC Institute, Online
SQL for Developers certificate, February 2021
When: If you’ve taken an online course recently — or if it’s particularly relevant or well-known and you want to emphasize it — you can include it in your education section.
Example:
More information: The must-haves when writing your education on your resume
As a separate online course section
Typically, you won’t want to dedicate too much resume space to your online course, as most of them can be covered in a couple of lines.
The exception to this is if you have multiple online courses or certifications that are all particularly relevant to the job. In that case, you can create a separate section for your online courses to help them stand out.
CERTIFICATIONS
- Cisco - CCNA
- SQL for Developers certificate from ABC Institute (2016)
When: This is a good idea for career changers who want to emphasize recent educational experience in a new field.
Only do this if it genuinely adds value to your resume — if you’re considering adding a certifications section to list a bunch of very short courses or to include qualifications in an unrelated area, it’s better to leave those off instead.
Example:
More information: How to list certifications on a resume
In a projects section
Projects give you a chance to include a few relevant accomplishments and demonstrate how you’ve used those skills in action. List the project name, your specific role, and 1-3 bullet points. If possible, make sure you also include a portfolio or GitHub link so recruiters can see examples of your work for themselves.
PROJECTS
Project Name | Developer, Feb 2021
GitHub link: [link]
- Designed the overall architecture of the editor using React.JS, with XYZ collaboration
- Set up multiple authentication methods, including Google OAuth, magic link and Shibboleth SSO
When: If your online course included substantial project experience, or if you lack more relevant paid work experience.
Example:
More information: How to list projects on a resume
In an additional section
Online courses in an additional section should be listed on a single line with a clear subheading: something simple like 'Online Courses' or 'Certifications' will tell a recruiter exactly what the section consists of. If it adds credibility, make sure to specify where you completed the course or who the provider was.
ADDITIONAL
Certifications & Training: Online Course in Management (Coursera), Passed Resume Worded Examinations
When: An ‘additional’ or ‘other’ section at the bottom of your resume is ideal for things that don’t merit their own sections, or if you’re running low on space. This could include online courses that aren’t required but demonstrate relevant skills, or that are relevant but not noteworthy enough to include in a more prominent section.
Examples:
More information: Including skills and additional information on a resume
If you’re not sure if you’ve listed your online courses the right way, upload it to the tool below — it’ll scan your resume and give you detailed feedback and suggestions on how to improve your resume sections.
The best online courses to list on your resume
The best online courses to list on your resume are ones from reputable providers. Here are some of the best ones + examples of how (and when) to include them on your resume.
How to put Udacity on a resume
Should you mention a Udacity degree on your resume? Udacity offers "nanodegrees" that, despite their length, are well-regarded in professional circles. Udacity have gained a reputation for offering strong courses, partnering with reputable businesses, and requiring stronger effort to pass than similar online courses, which makes them a good option for picking up a new skill.
Skip It: If you picked up a course just for fun that doesn't relate to your chosen career.
To list a Udacity degree on your resume, you have a few options:
- List it in your education section
- Put it in a separate certifications section
- Include Udacity in your resume projects section
Putting a Udemy certificate on a resume
Unlike other online course providers, Udemy doesn't grade students or require tests to pass. That doesn't mean you can't include a Udemy completion on your resume — just make sure it adds value before you do.
Skip It: If you're relying on a Udemy certificate in a job that would normally require formal qualifications.
Putting an eCornell certificate on a resume
If you have an online certificate from a reputable institution like Cornell, it's worth highlighting that on your resume. Be sure to specify that you hold a certificate, not a full degree — listing it in a Certifications or Additional Information section rather than your Education section can help make this clear.
Skip It: If you're just using it for name recognition.
Putting a Lynda certificate on a resume
Getting a Lynda certificate with LinkedIn Learning can be a great way to boost an existing skill or change course with a new one. Like any unaccredited online course, it's important to back up your learning with other qualifications, projects, or professional experience.
Skip It: If you have more relevant qualifications in the same field.
Putting a Coursera certificate on a resume
Coursera offers a wide range of certificate and other courses, which means it pays to be specific about which one you took. Be sure to note if it you completed a full certificate, the name of the program, and the specific provider — keeping in mind that some are more reputable than others.
Skip It: If you've completed mutiple unaccredited short courses.
How to add a Google Data Analytics Certificate to a resume
A Google Data Analytics certificate on its own isn't going to be enough to convince a recruiter you have the skills they're looking for. So why include it? Because it's one piece of the puzzle — when included alongside technical skills, projects, and other relevant qualifications.
Skip It: If you're a little rusty and might not pass a technical test.
Related: What You Need to Know About Google Career Certificates (and The Best Ones for Your Resume)
Putting a HarvardX certificate on resume
Like eCornell, HarvardX is Harvard University's online offering. The platform offers over 140 courses ranging from single subjects to full professional courses.
Skip It: If you're hoping a single class from Harvard will make your resume stand out.
Putting an EdX certificate on a resume
EdX is also a Harvard initiative, co-created with MIT. EdX offers accredited online courses from universities across the United States and is highly regarded as a provider of top-quality academic content — you can even complete a full degree program online or use EdX courses to transfer with academic credit.
Skip It: If you opted to audit a course instead.
When to list online courses on your resume
Here are a few situations where listing an online course can be worth it:
If it’s required for the job
Anything listed in the job description should be addressed on your resume. If a specific qualification is mentioned in the job ad — either as a minimum requirement or as a ‘nice to have’ — you should list it on your resume. These must-haves are often set as filters on ATS software, which means that if you leave them off, you risk having your resume sent straight to the ‘no’ pile before it even reaches a recruiter’s desk.
If it adds credibility
Not all online courses are created equal. Certified courses are generally held in higher regard than non-certified courses, and a six-week online course from an accredited institution looks far more impressive than a four-hour Zoom workshop. You can increase the credibility of online courses by opting for a verified certificate or completing a project that puts the skills you learned into practice.
If you’re changing careers
When you’re looking to break into a new role or industry, either as a recent grad or a career changer, your education takes on an extra layer of importance.
Not only can taking an online course help you develop some of the basic skills you’ll need for the new position, but listing it on your resume is a good way to show that you have the skills required for the job and include the keywords necessary to get past Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS).
When to leave your online course off your resume
So, when shouldn’t you list an online course on your resume? Here are some general principles to keep in mind:
Keep very short courses off your resume
On the flip side, any course that only takes a very short time to complete (less than a few days or so) usually won’t be significant enough to include on your resume. In general, aim to include no more than 1-2 certifications — listing every single workshop or conference you’ve ever attended will only waste valuable resume space and dilute the impact of any genuinely relevant certifications.
Only list relevant online courses
This is the basic litmus test for everything on your resume: Is it relevant to the specific job you’re applying for? It doesn’t matter how impressive the qualification, if it has nothing to do with the role or industry you’re targeting, it’s better to leave it off.
Experience trumps qualifications
If you're a senior-level candidate or have at 8+ years of experience in your field, it's often a good idea to leave off short online courses from your resume, unless they're clearly credited, like an Executive MBA or similar. Most hiring managers only will focus on your formal work experience on a resume when you're at the senior level, and education, extra-curricular and online courses are much less important.
Reputation matters
Avoid notoriously unreliable institutions, which can do more harm to your candidacy than good. A lot of online for-profit colleges (like the University of Phoenix) have such bad reputations that it may be worth leaving those qualifications off your resume entirely, unless you can’t avoid it.
FAQs
How can I find online courses?
Want to include online courses on your resume but aren’t sure where to find them? Here are some good places to start looking:
Check the job description
This is oft-repeated advice, but that’s because the job posting itself is almost always the best place to start when building your resume. If the ad mentions a specific certification candidates should have, it may be worth your while to pursue it as an online course — that way you don't need to take time off work.
Target specific skills
If you know what skills you need to brush up on, try searching for online courses that target those areas. If you aren’t sure, use the skills and keywords tool below to find the right skills based on your desired industry or job title.
Ask your network
The best way to know what qualifications are actually useful is to ask people with experience in similar roles. Ask your existing network, search LinkedIn or alumni databases for potential contacts, and ask for informational interviews with people who can help steer you in the right direction.
Ask them if an online course in the field is worth doing, and if there are any reputable ones they recommend. People who work in the industry will be more in-the-know about the right online courses to do and which ones are respected.
Choose a legitimate provider
The more well-known a course or institution, the better. Here is a (non-exhaustive) list of reputable online course providers:
